What do you think?
Rate this book
Haig's Enemy: Crown Prince Rupprecht and Germany's War on the Western Front
During the First World War, the British army's most consistent German opponent was Crown Prince Rupprecht of Bavaria. Commanding more than a million men as a General, and then Field Marshal, in the Imperial German Army, he held off the attacks of the British Expeditionary Force under Sir John French and then Sir Douglas Haig for four long years. But Rupprecht was to lose not only the war, but his son and his throne.
In Haig's Enemy, Jonathan Boff explores the tragic tale of Rupprecht's war ― the story of a man caught under the wheels of modern industrial warfare. Providing a fresh viewpoint on the history of the Western Front, Boff draws on extensive research in the German archives to offer a history of the First World War from the other side of the barbed wire. He revises conventional explanations of why the Germans lost with an in-depth analysis of the nature of command, and of the institutional development of the British, French, and German armies as modern warfare was born. Using Rupprecht's own diaries and letters, many of them never before published, Haig's Enemy views the Great War through the eyes of one of Germany's leading generals, shedding new light on many of the controversies of the Western Front.
The picture which emerges is far removed from the sterile stalemate of myth. Instead, Boff re-draws the Western Front as a highly dynamic battlespace, both physical and intellectual, where three armies struggled not only to out-fight, but also to out-think, their enemy. The consequences of falling behind in the race to adapt would be more terrible than ever imagined.
In Haig's Enemy, Jonathan Boff explores the tragic tale of Rupprecht's war ― the story of a man caught under the wheels of modern industrial warfare. Providing a fresh viewpoint on the history of the Western Front, Boff draws on extensive research in the German archives to offer a history of the First World War from the other side of the barbed wire. He revises conventional explanations of why the Germans lost with an in-depth analysis of the nature of command, and of the institutional development of the British, French, and German armies as modern warfare was born. Using Rupprecht's own diaries and letters, many of them never before published, Haig's Enemy views the Great War through the eyes of one of Germany's leading generals, shedding new light on many of the controversies of the Western Front.
The picture which emerges is far removed from the sterile stalemate of myth. Instead, Boff re-draws the Western Front as a highly dynamic battlespace, both physical and intellectual, where three armies struggled not only to out-fight, but also to out-think, their enemy. The consequences of falling behind in the race to adapt would be more terrible than ever imagined.
400 pages, Hardcover
First published May 1, 2018
13 people are currently reading
170 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
June 13, 2018
This is a short book, which packs a lot of information within its pages. The battles are not as detailed as you might like, but the author presents a look at the life and war career of Crown Prince Rupprecht of Bavaria. That he is not Prussian is an important part of the book because it affected relations with the men who were 'running the show'.
I found it to be a very interesting take on the German viewpoint. Rupprecht was a professional soldier, who made mistakes, but who seemed to have a more realistic view of what could be achieved by the German army, unlike Ludendorff.
The final three chapters did an excellent job at summarizing what happened and to some extent why it happened. The tragedy was that Germany didn't seem to realize that it had lost the war after the battle of the Marne in 1914. So for 3 more years, the killing and destruction continued.
I found it to be a very interesting take on the German viewpoint. Rupprecht was a professional soldier, who made mistakes, but who seemed to have a more realistic view of what could be achieved by the German army, unlike Ludendorff.
The final three chapters did an excellent job at summarizing what happened and to some extent why it happened. The tragedy was that Germany didn't seem to realize that it had lost the war after the battle of the Marne in 1914. So for 3 more years, the killing and destruction continued.
February 13, 2023
Bringing the ‘Other-side’ to Life.
It is a truth universally acknowledged that an English speaking historian is in want of more history of the Central Powers point of view in the First World War. Johnathan Boff, here tries to deliver this, a point of view and history Crown Prince Rupprecht of Bavaria. He nearly delivers.
This book is better than average, but below a masterpiece or what I would consider ‘great’. 3.5 stars would be more accurate and I am glad I have read it. It is just lacking in being a fully polished product. Boff has tried to deliver a part biography, part German military history of the western front and the book has ended up being neither. A sort of in between, confused as whether it wants to tell you about Rupprecht or about what the war looked like from the German point of view. I feel it would have been much better if Boff had given a longer and more traditional biography of Rupprecht, as there is clearly a gap in English speaking studies of the conflict. Boff certainly has the writing talent to deliver this.
The book does give an analysis of Rupprecht the man, the father, son and husband, the prince, the army general and the politician. But I feel I am no closer to him then at the start of the book. The man had an extraordinary life, even after 1918 he was an important figure in Bavaria and managed to swerve the NSDAP when so many other princes were being enticed into its abhorrent clutches. Boff shows that Rupprecht was a good general as far as WWI ones go, he managed to win more battles than he lost in a world where no one looks talented. He was a better work colleague than a friend, but was loyal and hardworking. One of the last Victorians.
What was fascinating about this work, was the painstaking scholarship Boff has employed in comparing Rupprecht’s handwritten diaries to his later published ones. Here you can see some of changes, such as his later distance from the use of poisoned gas to make himself look better. Rupprecht was 13th in the list of allies war criminals after the war, however Boff shows him to be not really one. He was likely aware of atrocities in Belgium (which have been hugely over exaggerated by the Harmsworth press machine) but never ordered them. He didn’t reprimand his troops for it either though. He was never tried as a war criminal and enjoyed popular support in Bavaria after the war, but the throne just quite didn’t come. He was a ceremonial monarch in a republic, managing to block Hitler in the Munich Putsch causing the future dictator to never forget. Rupprecht managed to narrowly avoid the Gestapo and when he died in 1955, the southern state genuinely mourned.
All in all, good scholarship, just not stunning history. Worth a read, but a full biography is needed.
It is a truth universally acknowledged that an English speaking historian is in want of more history of the Central Powers point of view in the First World War. Johnathan Boff, here tries to deliver this, a point of view and history Crown Prince Rupprecht of Bavaria. He nearly delivers.
This book is better than average, but below a masterpiece or what I would consider ‘great’. 3.5 stars would be more accurate and I am glad I have read it. It is just lacking in being a fully polished product. Boff has tried to deliver a part biography, part German military history of the western front and the book has ended up being neither. A sort of in between, confused as whether it wants to tell you about Rupprecht or about what the war looked like from the German point of view. I feel it would have been much better if Boff had given a longer and more traditional biography of Rupprecht, as there is clearly a gap in English speaking studies of the conflict. Boff certainly has the writing talent to deliver this.
The book does give an analysis of Rupprecht the man, the father, son and husband, the prince, the army general and the politician. But I feel I am no closer to him then at the start of the book. The man had an extraordinary life, even after 1918 he was an important figure in Bavaria and managed to swerve the NSDAP when so many other princes were being enticed into its abhorrent clutches. Boff shows that Rupprecht was a good general as far as WWI ones go, he managed to win more battles than he lost in a world where no one looks talented. He was a better work colleague than a friend, but was loyal and hardworking. One of the last Victorians.
What was fascinating about this work, was the painstaking scholarship Boff has employed in comparing Rupprecht’s handwritten diaries to his later published ones. Here you can see some of changes, such as his later distance from the use of poisoned gas to make himself look better. Rupprecht was 13th in the list of allies war criminals after the war, however Boff shows him to be not really one. He was likely aware of atrocities in Belgium (which have been hugely over exaggerated by the Harmsworth press machine) but never ordered them. He didn’t reprimand his troops for it either though. He was never tried as a war criminal and enjoyed popular support in Bavaria after the war, but the throne just quite didn’t come. He was a ceremonial monarch in a republic, managing to block Hitler in the Munich Putsch causing the future dictator to never forget. Rupprecht managed to narrowly avoid the Gestapo and when he died in 1955, the southern state genuinely mourned.
All in all, good scholarship, just not stunning history. Worth a read, but a full biography is needed.
December 11, 2018
Rupprecht, the Crown Prince of Bavaria, commanded the Kingdom’s army on the Western Front throughout the First World War. Under the Imperial system, his forces were under the command of OKH – the army Supreme Command – which meant ultimately the Hindenburg/Ludendorff duo. In the postwar, a former corporal in Rupprecht’s army would drive his former commander-in-chief into exile. Jonathan Boff is professor of war studies at the University of Birmingham, and this thorough and detailled study represents all that is best and worst in the writing of old-fashioned military history, as was traditional before John Keegan published The Face of Battle. Haig’s Enemy (a catching title of English-speaking readers—not always accurate as Rupprecht’s forces were as often opposing the French) is based on the voluminous war diaries Rupprecht kept and which have never been published in their entirety, though of course Rupprecht published excerpts in his memoirs, which apparently had the usual purpose of retired commanders’ accounts, showing that anything that went wrong was someone else’s fault. Readers of this book will not be in the least surprised to find that the usual somebody else is Erich von Ludendorff.
Like most books by professors of history, Boff succeeds in making war boring, at least seen from the prespective of Rupprecht’s HQ. (Easy to see how Hitler acquired his notion that generals don’t know anything about war.) Today the best military history is written by non-academics such as Sir Max Hastings and Anthony Beevor. (I’d put Richard Overy right on the line between writers who can place you in the cockpit of a Lancaster over Berlin in 1943 and those who put you in the reading room of a Kriegsarchiv.)
Though I skipped a lot, I found Boff’s analytic chapters towards the end of the book excellent, and felt wonderfully enlightened. For us military history buffs the tantalizing question has been, how did the Germans, with their clear superiority in military preparation, training, and staff work, and on the Western Front the advantage of unity of command, manage to lose the war? Boff is sceptical regarding the myth of the genius of the German General Staff, especially of Ludendorff’s. More generally, Boff sees the Germans’ greatest failure as strategic. Specifically, relying upon tactical solutions for strategic problems. The U-boat campaign and the March 1918 offensive are egregious examples. It seems obvious now that instead of trying to knock the British out of the war before the Americans could intervene in force, the Germans would have done much better to make any concessions necessary to avoid giving Wilson a casus belli, including a generous settlement with France and Belgium that would have allowed Germany to keep her gains in the East. (The vain competitions amongst the German royalty over who would get the title to what they hoped would become the Duchy of Belgium and of Alsace and Lorraine that Boff recounts have a wonderfully ironic flavour.)
But whilst I admired Rupprecht for his devotion to duty and royal house, he emerged as a wooden figure. If you can find a copy Haig’s Enemy at the public library, it’s worth a few hours of your time. You can find mine at Half-Priced Books.
Like most books by professors of history, Boff succeeds in making war boring, at least seen from the prespective of Rupprecht’s HQ. (Easy to see how Hitler acquired his notion that generals don’t know anything about war.) Today the best military history is written by non-academics such as Sir Max Hastings and Anthony Beevor. (I’d put Richard Overy right on the line between writers who can place you in the cockpit of a Lancaster over Berlin in 1943 and those who put you in the reading room of a Kriegsarchiv.)
Though I skipped a lot, I found Boff’s analytic chapters towards the end of the book excellent, and felt wonderfully enlightened. For us military history buffs the tantalizing question has been, how did the Germans, with their clear superiority in military preparation, training, and staff work, and on the Western Front the advantage of unity of command, manage to lose the war? Boff is sceptical regarding the myth of the genius of the German General Staff, especially of Ludendorff’s. More generally, Boff sees the Germans’ greatest failure as strategic. Specifically, relying upon tactical solutions for strategic problems. The U-boat campaign and the March 1918 offensive are egregious examples. It seems obvious now that instead of trying to knock the British out of the war before the Americans could intervene in force, the Germans would have done much better to make any concessions necessary to avoid giving Wilson a casus belli, including a generous settlement with France and Belgium that would have allowed Germany to keep her gains in the East. (The vain competitions amongst the German royalty over who would get the title to what they hoped would become the Duchy of Belgium and of Alsace and Lorraine that Boff recounts have a wonderfully ironic flavour.)
But whilst I admired Rupprecht for his devotion to duty and royal house, he emerged as a wooden figure. If you can find a copy Haig’s Enemy at the public library, it’s worth a few hours of your time. You can find mine at Half-Priced Books.
April 22, 2018
I couldn't imagine a biography of a Second World War German army group commander being titled "Eisenhower's Enemy", but the title of this book shows how few Great War German military biographies exist and how little knowledge there is of all but the very top leaders of the German war machine.
Crown Prince Ruprecht of Bavaria was heir to the second largest German state and a professional officer. Despite some early mistakes, Ruprecht managed to learn and adapt. His was also an important posting for German internal unity at a time when Prussians were generally being seen as the primary political and military force in the federal state structure.
Ruprecht himself seems to have been a forceful, prickly man, jealous of any perceived slight both of himself and Bavaria. He volunteered his opinions freely on his superiors, war plans and eventually, on the lack of any chance of a German victory.
I gave the book four stars as there is some repetition and, through no fault of the author, the lack of much source material, lost in the following war. We are lucky that the Crown Prince kept a detailed diary that the author has utilised in the original, rather than the sanitised published diary.
I look forward to seeing the author at the official book launch at the National Army Museum, London on 16th May (tickets are free).
Crown Prince Ruprecht of Bavaria was heir to the second largest German state and a professional officer. Despite some early mistakes, Ruprecht managed to learn and adapt. His was also an important posting for German internal unity at a time when Prussians were generally being seen as the primary political and military force in the federal state structure.
Ruprecht himself seems to have been a forceful, prickly man, jealous of any perceived slight both of himself and Bavaria. He volunteered his opinions freely on his superiors, war plans and eventually, on the lack of any chance of a German victory.
I gave the book four stars as there is some repetition and, through no fault of the author, the lack of much source material, lost in the following war. We are lucky that the Crown Prince kept a detailed diary that the author has utilised in the original, rather than the sanitised published diary.
I look forward to seeing the author at the official book launch at the National Army Museum, London on 16th May (tickets are free).
January 22, 2025
Excellent book for English language readers because it looks at WWI via one of the major German generals (and he was a real commanding officer unlike many other royals in uniform). For far too long those of us without reading ability in other languages have had UK-centric view of WWI, a very skewered perspective were even the French role is often grossly overlooked. This has changed massively in recent decades, thankfully, and this book is another fine addition to that trend.
But it is not scintillating reading. It is the work of an old school, academic, military historian and if it was not dealing with a subject utterly unknown to English language readers I might have been more stingy with my stars.
My chief regret is that Rupprecht's life could possibly make for a fascinating biography that could illuminate much about Wilhelmine Germany and its successor the Weimar Republic. The German Empire and it's army, civil service, etc. was never quite the monolith it appeared. In the end this book opens up lines of thought which encourages you to read further and understand more. Certainly it is a work that anyone interested in WWI will want to read - but unless you are a fanatic try and get it through a library first. I am not sure it is one of those books one needs to own!
But it is not scintillating reading. It is the work of an old school, academic, military historian and if it was not dealing with a subject utterly unknown to English language readers I might have been more stingy with my stars.
My chief regret is that Rupprecht's life could possibly make for a fascinating biography that could illuminate much about Wilhelmine Germany and its successor the Weimar Republic. The German Empire and it's army, civil service, etc. was never quite the monolith it appeared. In the end this book opens up lines of thought which encourages you to read further and understand more. Certainly it is a work that anyone interested in WWI will want to read - but unless you are a fanatic try and get it through a library first. I am not sure it is one of those books one needs to own!
February 19, 2023
Boken förutsätter att du har ganska bra koll på första världskriget. Boken nämner att det dyker upp massa nya divisioner på västfronten efter mars 1918 men förklarar inte varför. Du förväntas själv veta att det var för att ryssarna signerat fred med Tyskland.
Jag tycker också att fokuset på själva huvudkaraktären Rupprecht var ganska svag, vi fick reda på alltför lite om honom. Bokens titel antyder också ett antagonistiskt perspektiv mellan de båda generalerna och något sådant perspektiv saknades nästan helt.
Jag tycker också att fokuset på själva huvudkaraktären Rupprecht var ganska svag, vi fick reda på alltför lite om honom. Bokens titel antyder också ett antagonistiskt perspektiv mellan de båda generalerna och något sådant perspektiv saknades nästan helt.
December 28, 2024
Haig’s Enemy covers the World War One career of a general that is often mentioned in British texts but rarely given much agency. Credit to Boff for remedying that…
…mostly. The minor issues are:
1. Rupprecht’s impact peaks in August 1914 when he drives forward with his Sixth Army rather than pulling French troops into a sack (the point can be argued but he was operationally active).
2. He then holds a defensive role as Army, then Army Group commander until 1918
He, by Boff’s own admission, plays a minor role in 1918, and starts taking more leave.
My impression is that Boff gets this, and that is why the Haig’s Enemy is not overly long. He’s focussed mainly on the extent to which the Germany army learnt (and eventually declined) during the war, German impressions of French and British troops (from his relatively limited experience, Rupprecht rated the French more highly, which seems fair), and to what extent Rupprecht had agency rather than just being a tragic victim of modern war and society.
Haig’s Enemy is also interesting in demonstrating that German morale appears to have remained high until late in the war, with the troops holding a strong belief in their superiority, reinforced by their leaders. However, Boff notes that there were not only the classic strategical failings, which sometimes sit above the German army, but operational and tactical ones two (Ludendorff’s 1918 offensives particularly). Boff is at pains to point out that Auftragstaktik as not universal.
As a semi-tangential point, it continues to strike me about World War One books is the incredible level of casualties over small portions of terrain. Even the relatively intense Ukrainian war fails to match peak death rates. It’s probably worth reading the occasionally World War One book for this alone, and then try to understand how the commanders saw this tactically and operationally.
The conclusions are solid and does include some interesting interpretations of how Rupprecht conducted himself within the context in which he existed. I would caveat my recommendation of this book with the comment that it is not a top tier biography - Rupprecht does not really come across as a character who’s past and feelings that we can inhabit. That’s fine for the purposes of the book, it just stops it from being top tier.
…mostly. The minor issues are:
1. Rupprecht’s impact peaks in August 1914 when he drives forward with his Sixth Army rather than pulling French troops into a sack (the point can be argued but he was operationally active).
2. He then holds a defensive role as Army, then Army Group commander until 1918
He, by Boff’s own admission, plays a minor role in 1918, and starts taking more leave.
My impression is that Boff gets this, and that is why the Haig’s Enemy is not overly long. He’s focussed mainly on the extent to which the Germany army learnt (and eventually declined) during the war, German impressions of French and British troops (from his relatively limited experience, Rupprecht rated the French more highly, which seems fair), and to what extent Rupprecht had agency rather than just being a tragic victim of modern war and society.
Haig’s Enemy is also interesting in demonstrating that German morale appears to have remained high until late in the war, with the troops holding a strong belief in their superiority, reinforced by their leaders. However, Boff notes that there were not only the classic strategical failings, which sometimes sit above the German army, but operational and tactical ones two (Ludendorff’s 1918 offensives particularly). Boff is at pains to point out that Auftragstaktik as not universal.
As a semi-tangential point, it continues to strike me about World War One books is the incredible level of casualties over small portions of terrain. Even the relatively intense Ukrainian war fails to match peak death rates. It’s probably worth reading the occasionally World War One book for this alone, and then try to understand how the commanders saw this tactically and operationally.
The conclusions are solid and does include some interesting interpretations of how Rupprecht conducted himself within the context in which he existed. I would caveat my recommendation of this book with the comment that it is not a top tier biography - Rupprecht does not really come across as a character who’s past and feelings that we can inhabit. That’s fine for the purposes of the book, it just stops it from being top tier.
July 23, 2024
A well-researched, engaging and perceptive work.
The book is accessible and pretty sympathetic, and Boff succeeds in conveying Rupprecht’s humanity, and his declining optimism over the course of the war. He also does a good job describing the evolution of German tactics, infighting inside the German high command, and how Rupprecht’s plans were often micromanaged by both Falkenhayn and Ludendorff, contrary to German military tradition. Boff also does a good job showing why the Germans viewed the French army as their most formidable opponent, and in describing the German struggle to devise tactical solutions to the deadlock. The book also covers Rupprecht’s postwar life in Bavaria, where he became an opponent of the Nazis.
The writing is smooth, if a bit stilted, and the book is balanced and readable if a bit unfocused, and Boff often veers into the details of specific battles. The book itself is more about how the German army waged war on the western front than it is about Rupprecht himself. When covering the Allies, Boff pays more attention to the British than the French. Also, it’s notable that Rupprecht was able to make Major General by his early thirties. This will probably smell like the result of his royal birth to the reader, but Boff makes no comment on it. Some readers may wish for more detail on Rupprecht’s pushing for a negotiated peace in 1917.
Still, a clear, insightful and thorough work.
The book is accessible and pretty sympathetic, and Boff succeeds in conveying Rupprecht’s humanity, and his declining optimism over the course of the war. He also does a good job describing the evolution of German tactics, infighting inside the German high command, and how Rupprecht’s plans were often micromanaged by both Falkenhayn and Ludendorff, contrary to German military tradition. Boff also does a good job showing why the Germans viewed the French army as their most formidable opponent, and in describing the German struggle to devise tactical solutions to the deadlock. The book also covers Rupprecht’s postwar life in Bavaria, where he became an opponent of the Nazis.
The writing is smooth, if a bit stilted, and the book is balanced and readable if a bit unfocused, and Boff often veers into the details of specific battles. The book itself is more about how the German army waged war on the western front than it is about Rupprecht himself. When covering the Allies, Boff pays more attention to the British than the French. Also, it’s notable that Rupprecht was able to make Major General by his early thirties. This will probably smell like the result of his royal birth to the reader, but Boff makes no comment on it. Some readers may wish for more detail on Rupprecht’s pushing for a negotiated peace in 1917.
Still, a clear, insightful and thorough work.
January 7, 2021
Loved it. A good overview of the Imperial German side in WW1 plus a intresting account of the man himself. Cracking good Read
November 22, 2018
I enjoyed reading Jonathan Boff's book for a number of reasons: as stated in his intro, we really saw the impact the French and British were having on the German soldiers and leadership. For so many years we had read about the incompetence of the generalship of the Entente - I had heard it directly from my Grandfather who fought with the Canadian Machine Gun Corps, and from the sobering and maddening results of battles such as the Marne, Somme, Chemin des Dames, etc., without really understanding the impact it was having on the Germans. Boff does an excellent job reminding us that the tremendous sacrifice made by the Entente forces , especially at the start of the war, were, yes, as a result of in some cases incompetence, but did have a debilitating effect on the German Army that led to their ultimate defeat. He backs up the slow decline with first hand sources, namely diary entries that show the impact some of the major battles had and vice versa, battles that remain large in our minds, but were given scant attention by the German military hierarchy.
I also enjoyed Boff's writing style which summarized key learnings into a "point system" where he would enumerate his point of view to make summaries easier for the reader to both understand and remember.
Boff's use of diary entries during the second half of the war wrt Rupprecht's Staff's interaction with Ludendorff's OHL is of particular note as you finally see the type of micromanagement Ludendorff employed to frustrate, confuse and anger the front line generals and their staffs. The decline into anarchy is highly predictive of the way Hitler would behave 25 years later.
My critique of the book is twofold- I had wished that Boff would have delved deeper into Rupprecht's relationship with the Bavarian government, especially, the period towards the end of the war. Also, I would have liked more detail around his life on the run-with whom did he interact ? How could he have left his wife and children alone ? In WWII, without Rupprect's support, his second wife ended up in Dachau - his wife weighed 40-45 kilos when the Americans freed her at the end of WWII. I have no idea what happened to the 5 children she had with him. Was he a heartless man ? I would have liked a more fuller picture of the man, but understand that the main focus was on his role as a General.
I also enjoyed Boff's writing style which summarized key learnings into a "point system" where he would enumerate his point of view to make summaries easier for the reader to both understand and remember.
Boff's use of diary entries during the second half of the war wrt Rupprecht's Staff's interaction with Ludendorff's OHL is of particular note as you finally see the type of micromanagement Ludendorff employed to frustrate, confuse and anger the front line generals and their staffs. The decline into anarchy is highly predictive of the way Hitler would behave 25 years later.
My critique of the book is twofold- I had wished that Boff would have delved deeper into Rupprecht's relationship with the Bavarian government, especially, the period towards the end of the war. Also, I would have liked more detail around his life on the run-with whom did he interact ? How could he have left his wife and children alone ? In WWII, without Rupprect's support, his second wife ended up in Dachau - his wife weighed 40-45 kilos when the Americans freed her at the end of WWII. I have no idea what happened to the 5 children she had with him. Was he a heartless man ? I would have liked a more fuller picture of the man, but understand that the main focus was on his role as a General.
May 10, 2022
An excellent history from the German perspective of the First World War’s debacle … a detailed biography of Crown Prince Rupprecht of Bavaria, Sir Douglas Haig’s opposite number on the German portion of the front lines of the trenches … superb analysis … includes a useful Bibliography …
Similar Works:
by
Max Hastings
by
Christopher Clark
by
Erich Maria Remarque
Similar Works:
by
Max Hastings
by
Christopher Clark
by
Erich Maria Remarque
March 20, 2022
A great book, providing an in-depth analysis of leadership and strategy on World War One’s Western Front. The author, English historian Jonathan Boff, gives both a biography of Bavaria’s Crown Prince Ruprecht and a deep assessment of the war’s command structures. It really is two books nicely joined under one title. Seeking to move away from the predominantly British viewpoint, Boff presents one of Germany’s more prominent Army Group Commanders, Ruprecht. Though the tactical methods and lives of soldiers are discussed, this is mostly a command post history. It offers great insight into how the German, British, and French armies were led, their varying learning curves, and their different attempts to overcome the operational conundrum they faced. Boff summarizes recent scholarship, not being afraid to confront longstanding myths and providing deep insights. A great case study for attempting to apply mission command. Highly recommended for anyone wanting to better understand the importance of separating tactical problems from operational and strategic issues.
August 25, 2022
Four stars.
Now, this is a very specialized subject, it's not a popular history/biography. It's a fantastic look at the development and waging of trench warfare from 1914 through the collapse of the German army four years later, with a heavy focus on systemic flaws in their operational strategy and disfunction among the general staff, particularly Ludendorff.
This is mainly significant because right wing nationalists, particularly the early Nazis (including, again, Ludendorff), sought scapegoats for the loss of the war. Hence it's important to know how and why Germany lost, and to make it clear that their army *was* beaten in the field.
Now, this is a very specialized subject, it's not a popular history/biography. It's a fantastic look at the development and waging of trench warfare from 1914 through the collapse of the German army four years later, with a heavy focus on systemic flaws in their operational strategy and disfunction among the general staff, particularly Ludendorff.
This is mainly significant because right wing nationalists, particularly the early Nazis (including, again, Ludendorff), sought scapegoats for the loss of the war. Hence it's important to know how and why Germany lost, and to make it clear that their army *was* beaten in the field.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 19, 2023
An interesting read for a number of reasons. To see the German side and how they operated. The book suggests you might not want Rupprecht for a friend but he'd be good as a business partner. A man of integrity. Not a natural warrior, but a competent professional. Describes the position of Bavaria vis a vis Germany and also Prussia.
We often assume that the British became supremely competent as the war progressed. This is not the German perspective. We are told they respected the French more as fighters, whilst recognising that the British were undoubtedly brave.
An interesting read.
We often assume that the British became supremely competent as the war progressed. This is not the German perspective. We are told they respected the French more as fighters, whilst recognising that the British were undoubtedly brave.
An interesting read.
May 18, 2018
Good Account of the man and actions during the war
When you consider the very important role Rupprecht played on the Western front very little has been written about him. This gives a very interesting summary of his actions but also of the man and the influences on him. Others have written on the operational level of the conflict but this provides a picture of his place not only in the Imperial Army but the part that of the various cliques in the army itself and the country.
When you consider the very important role Rupprecht played on the Western front very little has been written about him. This gives a very interesting summary of his actions but also of the man and the influences on him. Others have written on the operational level of the conflict but this provides a picture of his place not only in the Imperial Army but the part that of the various cliques in the army itself and the country.
July 9, 2022
Interesting biography of Prince Rupprecht and story of the Western Front from the German perspective.
October 26, 2022
Nice to read about the Western Front from a German perspective.
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews